Collapsible derrick



Feb. 2 1926.

J. S. BURKETT GOLLAPSiBLE DERRICK Filed July 28 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Feb. 2, 1926.

UNITED STATES JOSEPH S. BURKETT,

OF MACON, GEORGIA.

COLLARSIBLE DERRICK.

Application filed July 28, 1925. Serial No. 46,619.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Josnrrr S. BURKETT,

a citizen of the United States, residing at Macon, in the county of Bibb and State of Georgia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Collapsible Derricks; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to excavating and loading devices or apparatus and more particularly to a collapsible derrick or dumping structure.

The principal object of the invention is to provide an improved apparatus or structure of the character referred to which may quickly be set-up in operative position and knocked down intact for expedient removal from one location to another.

A practicable structure or form of appara tus embodying the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings which are to be taken as a part of this specification.

In said drawings:

Fig. 1 is a plan View of the collapsible structure with parts arranged in operative position;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same;

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the structure when collapsed or "lniocked.-down and ready for removal to a. new location; and

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the folded structure shown in Fig. 3.

Referring to said drawings, 5 denotes a platform or supporting frame shown mounted at its rear end on wheels 6 and provided at its forward end with a yoke member pivotally fastened to the rear end of an ordinary tractor 7 by means of a king-bolt 8, said platform or frame being thus mounted or supported on wheels and adapted to be drawn by the tractor in trailer fashion.

An A-type derrick 9 is shown supported and braced on the rear end of the platform 5, additional ties or brace-rods with turnbuckles (not shown) being advantageously employed to rigidly secure the same in place and idling pulleys 10 and 11. are shown provided in the upper end of said derrick for a purpose which will hereinafter appear.

Horizontally extended from the upper end of the derrick 9 is shown a yoke or boom member 9 carrying an idling pulley 10 at its outer extremity, said yoke or boom the hoisting-machine art.

member being adequately supported in position by means of brace or strut members 9 bolted or otherwise secured to the derrick and its supporting frame as shown.

Cable drums 12 and 13 with shaft ends or journalssupported in suitable bearings are shown provided on the forward end of the platform said drums being driven by intermeshing gears 14 and 15 having associated pawl and ratchet or other engageable means (not shown) with the drum shafts by which either or both may be released to idle against their respective drums for controlling the latter in a manner well known in Suitable brakes (not shown), are also provided for each of saiddrums for 1101(1111g' the latter against rotation in either direction in a manner com mon to cable-reeling devices. 7

In the present instance, the actuating power for the drums 12 and 13, is imparted by the tractor motor to a shaft 16 through a sprocket chain 17, a driving pinion or gear 18 being keyed on said shaft in engagement with the gear 15. By this means, rotation of the drums 12 and 18 may be independently or simultaneously effected in either direction, depending upon the direction in which the shaft 16 is caused to rotate.

Spaced skid-members 19 are shown with ends pivotally secured to the top of the derrick 9 and opposite ends pivotally connected to the upper extremity of an inclined platform 20 ateither side thereof, said platform in this instance being taperingly formed of sheet metal with countersunk rivets and converging lateral flanges or guides. Hooks 21 and eye-bolts 22 are also provided on either side of the platform for apurpose which will hereinafter appear.

Swinging props or stanchions 23 are shown with ends swiveled to the upper end of said platform for normally supporting the latter in position as illustrated, and a roller 24:.over which a scraper or scoop is drawn to tilt and dump its lead between the lateral skids 19, is shown supported in bearings at the lowerends of said skids.

A scraper 25 having lateral arms or trunnion-like extensions 26 by which it is supported upon the skid-members 19 when overbalanced or tilted to dump therebetween, may be drawn alternately in forward and rearward directions by means of hauling and backing cables 27 and 28 respectively.

The haulingcable 27 is shown passing over the pulley 11 with one end secured to and wound upon the drum 12 and its other end connected to the forward end of the scraper by means of a yoke-chain, while the backingcable 28 is shown pas-sing over the pulleys l0 and 10 with one end secured to and wound upon the drum 13 and its other end connected to the rear end of the scraper by similar means after passing, extendingly through snubbing blocks 29 temporarily fixedat distant points in the field or area under excavation by means of anchors 30. y

Inthepresent instance, the scraper is drawn rearwardly to loading position by the cable 28'- as it is wound upon its d'runr 13, the drum 12 being coinciden-tly al lowed to run free so as to spend the cable 27 as the scraperis drawn to the desired point for loading. The scraper is then drawn forwardly to load and haul over the ground and up the inclined platform 20 to dumping position between the skids 19, by means of the cable 27 as it is wound upon its drum 12, the drum 13 being simultaneously allowed to run freeso as tospend the cable 28 as the scraper isdrawn forwardly. The specific details of operation and the various possible arrangements and methods of using the apparatus in different excavating and grading projects will be readily understood by those familiar with devices of the same general character, so that further description with respect thereto is considered unnecessary.

hen it is desired to move the apparatus or structure to a new location, the scraper 25 is drawn forwardly by means of the cable 27 onto the platform 20 tothe position shown in Fig. 3, whereupon the end of said cable is disconnected from the scraper and secured by suitable means to the eye-bolts 22 at the lower end of the platform. as shown in Figs. 3' and 1. In some instances it maybe desirable to fasten or secure the scraper in place on the platform to prevent dislodgment, although it would not ordinarily be necessary. The

anchors 30' with attached snubbing-blocks 29 are then uprooted and carried or else drawn forwardly by the cable 28 Winding on its drum to a position on the platform adjacent the scraper Where they may advantageously be secured against displacement, the free end of said cable being then disconnected from the rear of the scraper and secured by suitable means (not shown) to the elevated end of said platform. In this connection it may be stated that while it is generally unnecessary to. withdrawn the free end of cable 28 through the snubbing-blocks 29, it may in some instances be desirable so to do in order tosave power and avoid undue strain upon the derrick and cable when the latter is reeled. upon its drum to raise the upper end of the platform the cable 28 which. in the manner stated has been. attached. to the upper end of the platform, may advantageously be reeled upon its drum sufficiently to raise said end slightly and relieve its weight from said props so that the latter may with ease be swung to such folded position. The tractor is then reversed while the drum 13 is allowed slowly to spend its cable 28, allowing the skid-members 19 to swing downwardly to the position shown in- Fig. 4, thus bringing the upper end ,of the platform to; folded position against the bottom of the derrick, after which the rocking pawl is set or the brakes are applied to said drum to prevent further rotation. The cable 27 is then reeled upon its drum 12 to elevate the. lower end of the platform (to which it has been attached as stated) either to an upright position or to an angular position such as shown in Fig. 1, whereupon said drum is locked and its brakes are applied to prevent the platform from lowering ordropping by reason of its weight. The entire apparatus thus compactly folded or collapsed may expedi-- ently be drawn by the tractor to a new lo cation and again quickly placed in operative position.

In order to set-up the derrick and arrange the apparatus. in operative position, the brakes on drum 12 are first gradually released, allowing the platform to be lowered with its bottom end resting in the desired position on the ground, after which the cable 27 is disconnected from the eyebolts- 22 and again connected to the forward end of the scraper. The drum 13 is then actuated to wind the cable 28 there on while the tractor is moved slightly forward, thus elevating the upper end of the" blocks 29, which are secured by their anchors 30 at respectively designated points, and returned with its free end again connected to the rear of the scraper. The derrick is thus expediently placed in operative position and the apparatus is ready for use.

Obviously the present invention is not limited to the specific details of construc tion, arrangement of parts or modes of operation herein respectively shown and described since various modifications to meet different requirements and conditions may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. A collapsible excavating and dumping apparatus comprising a power-drawn platform or frame; a derrick mounted thereon; an inclined platform adjacent to and lowerable against said derr'ck; skid-members pivotally connecting the derrick and the upper end of said inclined platform; swinging stanchions secured to and foldable against the last named platform and adapted normally to support the latter in inclined position; a scraper; hauling and backing cables for alternately moving the scraper in opposite directions and connectible to said inclined platform for raising and lowering the latter; pulleys on said derrick over which the cables are passed; and means on said first named platform by which the cables are controlled.

2. A collapsible excavating and dumping device comprising a tractor; a platform connected thereto in trailer fashion; a derrick mounted on said platform; an inclined platform adjacent to and foldable against said derrick upon said first named platform; skid-members pivotally connecting the upper ends of said derrick and said last named platform and forming an extension of the latter; swinging stanchions secured to and foldable against the inclined platform adapt-ed normally to support the latter in inclined position; a scraper; cables for alternately drawing said scraper in forward and rearward directions and connectible to said inclined platform for raising and lowering. the latter to and from normally inclined position; pulleys on said derrick over which said cables are passed; and controllable means on said first named platform for operatively reeling and spending the cables.

3. An excavating and dumping apparatus comprising a tractor; a platform connected in trailer fashion to said tractor; a derrick mounted on said platform; a boom member extending from the upper end of the latter; an inclined platform adjacent to and connected with said derrick and lowerable against the latter in collapsible position; skid-members extending from and pivotally connecting said inclined platform to said derrick adapted to fold against the latter; stanchions pivotally secured to and foldable against the inclined platform for normally supporting the latter in inclined position; a scraper movable up and down the incline adapted to dump loads between said skidanembers; hauling and backing cables for drawing the scraper in forward and rearward directions and connectible to said inclined platform for raising and lowcring the latter to folded and operative positions respectively; pulleys on said derrick and on said boom member over which the respective cables are passed; and controllable means for operatively reeling and spending the cables.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

JOSEPH S. BURKET'I. 

